Genesis Odyssey
by nytecat
Summary: Set in an alternate universe in the distant future where despair rules the continent of Abyssa as a desperate war rages on. In this backdrop, the powers of the HiME maidens and those of the Otome collide. Changed rating from 'M' to 'T'.
1. Traitor's Moon

**Mai-Hime: Genesis Odyssey**

_**Author's note:** After long minutes of calling myself a coward in the mirror, I finally found the guts to try a Mai-Hime fanfic that is longer than a drabble. Uhm... I would be overjoyed to get a beta reader to help me check punctuation, pacing, overall story quality and put my head back on when it spins off due my crazy ideas. The first chapter wasn't so supposed to be this long so anyone who reads this finish gets a honorary medal._

_Rated 'M' because I intend for the later chapters to get darker._

_**Edit: **_

_**9 November 2006 –** Special thanks to **Kryssa's flute **for pointing out my blunder with Yuuichi Tate's name. After going through this again, I saw some grievous grammar mistakes which I also corrected._

_**10 November 2006 –** Am greatly appreciative to **Hoppy-Chan **for correcting my mangled English._

_**Story Notes:**_

_Set in an alternate universe where terrible war machines called 'Monoliths', controlled by a country called Noxterra, have wrought seven dark years of destruction across the expansive continent of Abyssa. _

_The story takes place in the seventh year of the war. It is a desperate time where hope is slowly dying as the superior technological might of Noxterra remains uncontested and total dominion of all twelve kingdoms seems imminent. Seven of the kingdoms have surrendered to Noxterra and the fragile alliance of the five 'free' kingdoms flickers like a candle in the wind._

**Chapter 1: Traitor's Moon**

It was a beautiful day to die. The sun above was a blazing golden ball in the azure sky. Small herds of cotton white wispy clouds drifted lazily. The leaves from the ancient trees in Solmor Forest whispered sleepily, their crackling voices carried on gentle waves of wind.

Dividing the heart of Solmor Forest was a narrow winding dirt road that crested the mighty hills of Veronia. On one such crest, lay two people in peasant attire side-by-side on the green turfs of grass along the road. A brown-haired boy and a carrot-haired woman. Next to them was a dormant hover caravan that had surely seen better days. The battered hood was raised, revealing a smoking engine.

"Takumi..." the woman murmured suddenly softly, her voice crushed and confessional.

The boy stirred a bit and muttered something inaudible in the crook of his arm that pillowed his head. He stirred again, opened his eyes and winced, squinting in the bright daylight. He turned his head slowly to look inquiringly at his sister. Seeing him awake, the woman continued with her confession, her pale violet eyes grave.

"I'm sorry. Perhaps, I should not have tried to be stingy and rented a more travel-fit caravan."

Takumi blinked in surprise. His sister almost never admitted to being wrong in her life. This was worth a tickle. He made his voice uninterested and distant.

"Well, it is too late for being sorry, Mai, now that we are sure to die." As a blush began to inflame her cheeks, Takumi quickly gave her a genuine smile. "Besides, you were only living up to your nickname: Miserly Mai."

"Takumi!"

With that outcry, Mai sat up and began to pummel her brother. "Jeez, really! And here I was trying to apologise, you jerk!" A half-hearted punch to the arm punctuated each word.

Takumi rolled over, laughing as he protected himself with his arms from his sister's mocked fury. Mai gave up after a minute and too joined the laughter. The laughter subsided into wheezes after a few minutes. Wheezes that overcame Takumi, causing him to erupt into a fit of coughing. He curled up into tight ball, clutching his chest.

Mai immediately collected herself, ran to the caravan and flung open the back hatch. After frantically rummaging for several moments, she found what she was looking for. She pulled a heavy water flask free from out of one of the duraplastic containers and brought it quickly to Takumi. She placed the flask on the ground, knelt and propped him up against her.

"It...it hurts...Sister," Takumi panted in agony, his head in her lap.

Mai smoothed his brow and made soothing shushing noises as she dug into her side vest pocket, fingers curling around the plastic medicine box and taking it out. With practised ease, she flipped the clasp open, tipping the box so that the tri-coloured pills fell into her waiting hand. Using her free hand, she steadied Takumi's head while her other hand gently pushed the pills one by one into his gasping mouth. She used the water flask to help him swallow them convulsively.

After a few moments, Takumi's harsh breathing eased. A few moments later, he opened his grey eyes. They were dark with remembered suffering but still he tried to smile to reassure his sister. The worry in her eyes did not lessen but she returned his smile with a small one of her own. Relief radiated from her, resonated in her sudden trembling. She cursed herself silently for underestimating the strain that travel had on her brother's delicate health. She should have paid the exorbitant price for a better caravan!

From years of experience, Takumi knew what was tormenting his sister's mind and her soul now. Inwardly, he sighed. She was blaming herself again. He could not bear to see the heartraw guilt in her eyes every time when she looked at him. They were especially hard to bear after one of his...episodes. As always, he wished that this last episode left him dead. Mai would cry but then she would also be free...

Tearing away his gaze, Takumi let his eyes roam their surroundings. From the sun's position in the sky, it was late afternoon. Idly, he tracked how long they had been stranded here. Three hours. Any villages nearby were at least five hours away. They could have tried walking the distance but he knew that Mai would not want to risk his health. Takumi stamped down a flash of anger at the thought and let his eyes wander to that junkheap of a caravan. He frowned when he saw the back hatch open. Besides, they could not afford to leave _that_ unprotected.

"How's the package?" He stressed the word 'package' subtly.

Mai started at his calm voice, jolted out of her despondent thoughts. She studied him as if wondering what he meant then followed his intense gaze to the caravan. Oh, _that_...Mai gently laid Takumi down on the soft grass and went to the back hatch of the caravan to check.

She righted some contents that she had knocked over in her haste to get the water flask. Once everything was in order, she lifted carefully the corners of a large black blanket hidden behind the duraplastic containers. For a moment she studied the package, unable to keep a delighted smile from blossoming on her face before she laid the blanket corners down. She closed the back hatch as quietly as she could.

Mai returned to her brother's side and plopped herself down. She turned on her side with a mischievous look. Tired though he was, Takumi returned it, making them truly look like siblings.

"The _package_ is safe and sleeping. We just have to keep _it_ a secret until we get there. But, don't you worry about anything. Just rest now, neh?"

Takumi smiled, satisfied that he had diverted his sister's attention successfully. He closed his eyes and did as she suggested. Mai watched his breathing deepened into strong breaths. She grinned a small smile which widened into a full-throated yawn. Maybe she should too just rest her eyes for a few minutes...

* * *

The thunder of racing hoof-beats restored life in them. Springing up from their prone positions, the siblings turned excitedly to each other and yelled in unison: "We're saved!"

A pummel of dust clouds rose in distant. It was coming closer. Mai squinted and saw a shiny speck sprinting up the slope. Fast. Within a few heartbeats, the speck turned into a lone rider on a white cyberhorse. As the rider became more distinct, Mai could see sunlight glinting off winter white armour. From the build, she guessed the rider, no, knight, was a woman.

Mai jumped to her feet, unwound her red scarf from her neck and waved it around frantically. "Hoi! Hello there! Stop!"

The knight did not slow down or made any attempt to.

In desperation, Mai jumped suddenly into the knight's path. She had one instant to think what a bad idea that was before the cyberhorse was upon her. Yelling, Mai put up an arm in a flimsy defence, bracing herself for the shattering of bone. Dimly, she was aware of Takumi screaming her name.

At the last moment, the cyberhorse reared, paws clawing the air above her head before crashing down onto the ground beside her. The cyberhorse danced and shrieked, fighting with the bit, as it tried to trample its obstacle. However, the knight wrestled with the reins and managed to keep it barely under control. Takumi came to stand protectively beside her, his normal cheerful demeanour changed to a rare one of restrained rage.

With the cyberhorse stopped, Mai got a clear look at the white knight. The first detail she noticed was cold depthless green eyes that hated all life; fierce eyes that sent chills down her spine in torrents. It took a moment to notice that those eyes were encased in an ornate silver helmet with a wreath of wings on the top on either side. The knight was wearing a combination of plate mail and chainmail. It gave her maximum freedom of movement and vital protection to the chest, torso, shoulders, top of the arms and legs.

It took a moment for Mai to register the vermilion stream that stained the winter white armour; flowing from a hideous gash in the knight's right shoulder. The blood dripped down the gauntlet that rested beside the black leather wrapped hilt of the sword hanging from her waist. The silver wolfhead pommel on the hilt bespelled Mai for a moment.

The rider raked her narrowed eyes at Takumi then back at Mai then glanced over her shoulder at the way she came. With a vehement curse, the knight whirled the cyberhorse around Mai and heeled it into a brutal gallop; kicking up a whirlwind of dust.

Mai stood there blinking and coughing. It took several blinks before the realisation sunk in.

"She did not stop."

Mai looked dully at Takumi for confirmation in case the sun had played tricks with her mind. Takumi nodded solemnly. Mai turned to stare at the baby dust clouds floating up from ground. Disbelief made her knees weak. Mai slumped to the dirt in a boneless heap. "She just left us here...stranded."

"Sister."

"She left us..."

"Sister."

"She left us..."

"Sister."

"She..that...that bitch!"

Rage gave her strength and Mai found her feet.

"Sister!"

"Rude! Inconsiderate! Are these what the Veronians are like? A selfish pack of mongrels? Why, we should just turn around and go back home!"

"SISTER!"

"What, Takumi?" Mai snarled as she turned to look at him. She immediately regretted her tone when she saw Takumi's shocked face. No matter how hard the times were, she had never yelled at him in her life.

Takumi gave an apologetic smile that melted her hostility away. He leaned closer, cupping a hand around his mouth as if to share a secret with her. He hissed in a low whisper: "We have company." He gestured furtively behind them.

So engrossed was she in her tirade that Mai did not hear the approach of mounted guardsmen. When she turned around, she saw nine Veronian guardsmen ride up on their battle cyberhorses. Mai wondered uneasily if they had heard her shouting.

"You four, go after her. Catch her," a blond hair young man ordered brusquely. "Alive!" he added as an afterthought at the departing four guardsmen.

The man-in-charge turned around to study them. Mai gave a small jump of surprise to realise that the man was wearing a black leather eye-patch over his left eye. A thick jagged scar ran from his left temple straight down to the tip of his cheek bone. His good brown eye was as cold as stone. The overall impression it gave her was a man not to be trifled with.

Whatever impressions the man gathered from looking at them, he gave no sign of. Instead he addressed them briskly as he dismounted. "I am lieutenant Yuuichi Tate of the Veronian Royal Mounted Cavalry. You are?"

Mai felt Takumi tense behind her. She understood his worry...if those soldiers asked too many questions and searched the caravan, they would find the _package_. She tried to make her face as guileless as possible.

"I am Mai Tokiha and this is my brother, Takumi. We come from Hyugu at the request of the Noble House of Windbloom."

Lieutenant Tate frowned at her words. Around them, a buzz of murmurs arose from the mounted soldiers who had formed a half-circle around them; effectively cutting off any escape route, Mai noted with mounting displeasure.

"The House of Windbloom, you say?" Lieutenant Tate asked slowly with an indiscernible edge to his tone.

"Yes."

The lieutenant's response was to draw his sword. His movement so swift that Mai only realised the sword was drawn when the tip touched her throat lightly. Fear froze her. She could not move, not even take the step back to safety. If she had thought the lieutenant's eye was cold before, now it was pure ice and burnt with hatred.

"What lies are you spinning, spy? The House of Windbloom was destroyed by Noxterra a few months ago."

'A few months ago...no, it cannot be,' Mai thought in despair. 'We gave up everything for nothing.'

"We were on the road for several months, travelling from Hyugu to here." Takumi spoke up quickly, seeing that his sister was shock.

"You were on the road for a few months. Is that the best you can do? Eh, spies?"

Yuuichi's tone was low and hostile; violence gleamed in his eyes, held barely in check, his swordarm quivered with it. Takumi did not like that this man pointed a sword at his sister. He needed to get that sword away from his sister. How? How? Then he remembered.

"We have a letter of authority from the House of Windbloom itself!"

The sneer that twisted Yuuichi's features was pure spite. He laughed mirthlessly and lowered his sword tip until it touched the 'v' where the collarbone joined. He smiled an unpleasant smile. His voice was a black blizzard.

"Very well. Show me the letter. If it is a forgery, I'll serve justice right now, right here, boy. Beginning with your 'sister'."

Takumi backed away slowly, turned and hurried towards the immobile caravan. As he was about to reach it, Yuuichi stopped him.

"Stop, boy! What is in that caravan?"

Takumi was afraid to turn around to reply, knowing that the paranoid lieutenant would see the lies in his eyes. He kept his eyes averted to the ground and tried to unknot the muscles in his back and neck.

"J-j-just vegetables, spices and other food related goods. We were hired to be cooks for the House of Windbloom," he replied as calmly as possible as one could with one's sister held at sword point.

The silence stretched as the lieutenant mulled that bit of information over in his shadowed mind. Takumi could feel the man's suspicious nature snap into his words and ferret out the truth.

"Check it out," Yuuichi abruptly commanded two of his soldiers.

The soldiers saluted, dismounted and hurried over to the caravan. One drew his bastard sword while the other approached the back of the caravan and opened the back hatch carefully. He inspected the containers and prodded the dark corners with his sheathed sword tip. Takumi tensed as the soldier banged about in the back; creating a ruckus that would wake the dead. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up! Takumi chanted in his mind. Now, isn't the time to sleep! Mai needs you!

The soldier inspecting the caravan finally stepped back. "The back hatch is clear, sir. There are only a few containers holding foodstuff and a blanket."

Yuuichi was about to order them to continue to search the caravan when the soldier closest to the vehicle let out a strangled cry of surprise. Before anyone could react, a slender shadow shot out from the back hatch and bounced off the soldier, using his nose as a kicking board to somersault in the air and land on the ground. It happened so fast that Yuuichi did not hear the sound of bone breaking until the shadow landed on the ground and charged towards him, dragging something heavy behind it. Sparks flew up from the gritty road like a swarm of angry fireflies.

The lieutenant removed his sword from Mai's throat and pushed her out of the way, giving him more room to fight. The girl fell back with a startled cry. His battle instincts kicked in; his vision focused on his target, blurring out all distractions.

What was that? A demon? Shadows coalesced into colours and shapes. He saw a black hair girl with long braided side burns, dressed in a black vest and short divided leather skirt. In her leather wrapped hands, she wielded a large black claymore that ripped through the road like a hot knife through snow. Her yellow eyes glowed brighter than the sun. Those glowing yellow eyes...

Yuuichi felt his blood turn to ice at the realisation shot through his body like fire. No, not a demon. Much, much worse. A Noxterri warrior!

* * *

It was a pleasant dream. She had been dreaming of eating Mai's 'special' ramen. Bowls upon bowls of it. Mai was laughing as she made Mikoto more. Unconsciously, the girl chewed sloppily on a corner of the blanket wrapped over her. Mmm...Mai's delicious super ramen.

Voices slowly penetrated her dream. Angry, loud voices. Grumpily, she woke up but froze. Something was very, very wrong. Mikoto sniffed the air. It smelt like blood on the wind.

She heard Mai's voice. Mai sounded frightened. Then she heard a violent man's voice followed by Takumi's then the man's again. Mikoto bit down an angry growl as she listened closely to their exchange. He was threatening Mai!

Footsteps sounded. Running footsteps that suddenly stopped, replaced after a few moments by louder, heavier ones underscored by the clatter of armour. Mikoto burrowed herself further into the blanket and hugged the rubber matted floor of the caravan. One pair of footsteps, two pairs of footsteps. The footsteps stopped outside and the back hatch opened. She heard someone rummage through the back hatch, opening and slamming the containers. Mikoto held herself very still, willing herself to be a shadow in the night.

The girl swallowed a yelp as something pointed prodded her ribcage through the blanket. The pointed prodder jabbed painfully her in the thigh then ankle. Seemingly satisfied all was in order, her assaulter stopped. Mikoto held Miroku tightly, pulling the bare sword against her body. She heard the man by the back of the caravan report the all clear. Now...

Moving as her grandfather had taught her, Mikoto threw up the blanket and sprang silently like a cat. Faster than a snake strike, she was flying through the air out of the caravan. There was a man in front of her. A nuisance. She used his face as a spring board for her somersault. Spinning like a top, she spotted Mai by the road with a man who had a sword pointed at her.

She landed heavily and raced towards them. Other men, soldiers, moved to intercept. But they didn't matter. All that mattered was Mai.

* * *

"Don't interfere!" Yuuichi yelled out, stopping his soldiers from rushing in and pincushioning the girl.

A berserk wild smile twisted his face. He could not stop smiling. This was so much fun. The vibrating tension sang in his blood, the joy of battle drummed his heart to faster pace. It had been awhile since he had felt so...so...so alive!

He studied his opponent while expertly deflecting the decapitating strikes. The girl was dressed as a Noxterri warrior but her attacks were wild, unrefined. She was clearly unseasoned in battle. Yet, she possessed a brute strength most men would find hard to rival. Could she have been augmented in some way through Noxterri technology? And her sword...now that would make a fine trophy.

Their swords met in a shower of sparks. The blades ground together as each warrior tried to push the other off balance. Tate used his height and weight difference to his advantage and leaned back, making the girl lose her footing for moment. It was all that he needed. The Veronian knight kicked out, connecting solidly to the girl's chest.

The girl fell backwards with an agonised cry, rolled to her feet and began to spin around in a circle, letting her sword pick up momentum from the centrifugal movement.

"What's this? A special attack?" Yuuichi sneered derisively.

The girl moved lightning fast. One moment she was whirling, the next the sword was flashing towards Yuuichi. He blocked desperately, releasing too late the awful unnatural power behind that blow. Their swords met; his shattered. As the fragments of his blade flew into the air, Mikoto recovered her form and moved in for the kill.

"Stop it, Mikoto!" the spy called Mai cried out.

Tate closed his eyes and waited for the end. And waited. Finally, he opened his eyes. The girl, Mikoto, glowered at him down the length of her blade. Its quivering tip resting against his throat. Mai came up behind her and wrapped her arms around the girl.

"He was threatening you," Mikoto growled, her voice low and rough as if not used to speaking.

"If you kill him, we will be in worse trouble. I'm fine now, okay," Mai reassured her. "He won't hurt us now, right Lieutenant Tate?"

The Veronian stared back at the Noxterri. Every inch of him reverberated with the need to kill her. Kill her hated race once and for all. Yet, the soldier side of him reasoned that he was at a tactical disadvantage. He could always wait for the opportunity. Finally, he nodded his consent.

"See, Mikoto?" Mai breathed in a relieved voice.

Yuuichi let out the breath he was holding as the feral girl withdrew the sword tip from his throat with ill grace. His gloved fingers found the small stinging spot and came away slightly wet. Frowning, he stared at the crimson smear staining the soft leather. It was kinetic force that had sliced his skin, not the blade. If it had been that monstrous blade, his head would be sitting on the dirt by now. The lieutenant stared for a moment his shattered sword before throwing it on the ground.

Before he could speak, the boy came to his side and presented the official letter. It was indeed genuine. It was the signature at the bottom of the letter that took his breath away. Wordlessly, he passed it on to his second, Zarn, a seasoned veteran who came over to study the letter as well. Zarn also blinked in surprise at the signature.

"You were appointed by Princess Mashiro Windbloom?" Zarn asked Mai in his rough hewed voice.

Mai nodded. Takumi came to stand protectively in front of her, next to Mikoto. A wall of human flesh between her and cold steel. If anything happened, Mai would grab them and knock them down.

"Lieutenant-," Zarn started to advise Yuuichi but the officer cut him off with a gesture and abrupt, "I know, I know."

Yuuichi took his time appraising the Hyugu siblings and the Noxterri girl. If they were spies, they were the most unlikely trio of spies he had ever seen. However, war makes even insane moves logical.

"Princess Mashiro Windbloom is the sole survival of her family's massacre. She is currently guesting at Castle Amethyst where I am stationed. Very well. I will escort you to the castle. It is several days ride from here. If she claims not to know you then..." Yuuichi let his threat ominously hang. Mai had to restrain Mikoto from going for his throat while Takumi assured him that the Princess would know them.

It took a while to sort out the logistics. One of the soldiers, a former mechanic, pronounced the caravan beyond all hope. So Yuuichi left two of his soldiers to guard the caravan and wait for transport of the goods which turned out to be really food items. The Hyugus and Noxterri would ride with the knights.

Once the three was on their way, Yuuichi decided to ask the question on everyone's minds. "Now, why are you travelling with a damned Noxterri? Are you some stupid Noxterri sympathiser?"

Mai, who was sitting behind him with her arms wrapped around his waist, muttered a reply. Yuuichi frowned, twisted around to try to see her face but she had averted her gaze to the side so all he caught was a mop of red hair. He grumped and held his silence. He wasn't going to repeat himself for a sympathiser.

Either Mai decided to speak up or she felt that his silence boded ill for Mikoto. She spoke so softly that Yuuichi had to strain to hear her monotonous words. An undercurrent of sorrow stained them.

"It wasn't like that. We found Mikoto on the road one day when coming home from the market. We live on the borders of Darevani, you see, so it was common to always see corpses of soldiers. Noxterri. Darevanis. It was all the same to us. At first, we thought she was dead. Then she made a sound. A low horrible moan. I never have heard a sound like that before..."

The lieutenant grunted in disgust. He had heard many kinds of screams on the battle. The despaired cries of those who were dying and knew there wasn't anything they could do about it except scream their rage. The blood-lust roars of victors. The silent sobs and prayers of those who had survived. So many, many kinds of screams. He doubted a simple moan could be that horrible.

Mai kept quiet for so long that Yuuichi was about to snap at her to continue the story when he became aware of a slight trembling against his back and the arms around his waist. Yuuichi cursed silently, the silly girl was reliving the memory! It took several long moments before she could compose herself. One shaky breath and she launched into her stark explanation again.

"When we found out she was alive, we couldn't leave her there. I wanted to but Takumi was really insistent on caring for her. He said that if we didn't we would be worse than the Noxterri who torched villages. So we took her in...

"After a while, we found out that she, Mikoto, was not part of the Noxterri army. She had been raised as a warrior by her grandfather and that she was on a mission to find her lost brother who had vanished when she was little."

Yuuichi spurred the horse into a faster trot. Mai did not cry out but her arms tightened around his waist. "And you believe her? This lame lie of looking for her brother? Can't you open your eyes, Mai, and see the truth? She's a Noxterri spy!" the lieutenant seethed, not even sure why he was angry except he was. Why did he care whether or not Mai was being deceived? All traitors were to be killed.

Mai tightened her grip, trying to stamp down on her fiery temper but she couldn't. Why was this man so convinced that they were evil? That Mikoto was evil? He hadn't even tried to get to know them or discover the truth.

"Why can't you open your eyes, lieutenant? Afraid of what you would see if you did? Look at her! Look at her and tell me she's a spy!" Mai answered angrily, her fury and feeling of injustice breaking through Tate's defences.

So compelling was the command in her voice that the lieutenant had no choice but to look. He glanced to where his second rode. Zarn was relaxed and even chatting amicably with his 'prisoner'. The Noxterri warrior was laughing at something he said, the joy transforming her killer eyes into childlike innocence. If she was acting, she was very, very good. He glared at her sword which were sheathed and slung on her back.

Yuuichi returned his eye to the road, glowering at the dirt. He had been wrong about them lacking the letter of authority. Could he be wrong about this? He sensed that Mai was waiting for his reply.

"The spy is a very good actress." The words sounded hollow even to his ears. He had lacked the strength of his earlier conviction. He could feel Mai smiling in triumph.

They rode in blessed silence for many minutes until Mai squirmed and broke into his dark thoughts.

"Uhmm? Excuse me? Lieutenant?"

Yuuichi sighed. This is what you get for talking to peasants, prisoners or traitors. They think once you started talking to them, you become their friends.

"What?"

He barked the question. If he meant his snappish tone to deter her, it did not. Still, she asked her next question with an air of walking on thin ice.

"Who was that woman you were chasing earlier?"

Mai felt the lieutenant stiffen. His body had turned as hard as stone. If she thought his voice cold before when they first met, now it could freeze rivers. His words stole all the warmth out of the setting sun.

"Natsuki Kuga. A traitor to the Crown. One that I shall see dead!"

* * *

Kaiji Sakomizu puttered about in his herb garden behind his humble cottage; whistling a bouncy, jubilant tune. His garden boasted the finest and rarest collection of herbs, plants and flowers. Fauna and flora, unlike most people, responded well to the nurture and love they received. As the former Chief Alchemist of Veronia, Kaiji had many years to eat the bitter fruit of disappointment whenever one of his students failed him. At least, that was, until recently.

A warm night scented breeze carried an all too familiar sound that brought a smile to his lips. He heard the rapid crunch of gravel and high whinny of a cyberhorse. His smile grew wider. Here she comes. Pretending to be busy with patting down the earth of one his flowerbeds, he waited and waited. Long moments passed until he heard the hard thumps of her footsteps. Hard thumps? A feeling of wrongness welled up in him.

"Kaiji..."

The feeling of wrongness grew stronger. Her voice was strange, a pale shadow of its normal confidence. It rang with fear and despair. Kaiji whirled around and let out a hollow cry of shock.

She stood there, her long black hair in disarray; her beautiful face, marbled with bruises; her shining armour blackened, dented and torn in some places. Her tall frame leaned heavily against the apple tree, no, she was using the trunk to hold herself up with one arm. Her other arm was wrapped around her middle as if trying to hold herself together. Kaiji could not take his eyes away from her middle. Blood pulsed in torrents around her arm and onto the earth. A temperamental rain of crimson.

"...help..."

The alchemist raised his eyes to her winter pale face and frightened, helpless green eyes. A spasm of pain shook her armoured body and her knees buckled.

"Natsuki!" he screamed as the woman pitched forward into the grass.

Kaiji raced towards her, knelt, turned her over and quickly assessed her wounds. She had multiple gashes on her torso, back, legs and arms. Her worse wound was the gut one. It was crusted around the edges as if the blood had clotted and mashed together with the chain mail and tunic to form a crude bandage. She must have broken the crust dismounting from her horse, Kaiji decided. He inspected the wound closer. It was deep but not so deep to be caused by a sword. She was bleeding profusely. Her organs might be punctured. The blood. He had to stop the bleeding first.

He ripped off his shirt and tore parts of it into strips. He bundled the remainder of the shirt, pressed the cloth hard against the wound, tying the strips around her waist to keep pressure on the wound. The makeshift bandage immediately darkened and dripped.

Grunting from the effort, the alchemist scooped her up and ran through the back door of his small wooden cabin. He swept aside the remains of his lunch and botanical notes from the dining table with his elbows and laid her down. He rapidly stripped off her cracked blood stained armour and sheathed sword until she was in her lingerie. Her wounds appeared larger, gaping gashes on her bare clammy flesh. He checked her pulse on her neck. Weak. Weaker than before. Her harsh panting was slower too.

Kaiji hurried to his wall to wall bookshelf and pulled out a small wooden box from one of the lower panels. He hesitated for one moment then reached for another larger black metal box hidden behind some books. He carried the boxes with him to the table. The man was shocked to see that in only those few minutes, the table was soaked with blood.

The alchemist quickly pressed the metal clasp of the wooden box. It sprang open to reveal sophisticated surgery equipment. Kaiji then pressed a small node on the black box. The top folded back. Inside lay a hyposyringe and twelve vials filled with golden liquid. He picked up one syringe, loaded a vial, and pressed the syringe against Natsuki's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but without this you might die from blood loss and infection. Curse me later."

Kaiji depressed the plunger. It hissed like a contented snake.

* * *

The twin green moons and stars were out in full glory when they finally called it a night in a dell not far from the main road . Bruised by the harsh ride, the Hyugu siblings and Noxterri spy stretched their legs stiffly under the watchful eyes of Zarn and lieutenant Yuuichi. The rest of the soldiers set about making camp with an efficiency that spoke of years of campaigning experience.

When it came time to prepare dinner though there was a distinct hesitation. The knights squatted in a circle and played janken to decide who would cook. When she saw this, Mai decided to jump in and volunteer to make dinner (much to Mikoto's wild exuberance). The soldiers happily let her take the job after Yuuichi nodded his approval. Mai saw his face when he nodded and knew that he was testing her story.

However, when she saw the ingredients for dinner, she wondered if she was being set up. Beef, stale bread, some wizened corn and ground black pepper. That was it. Even Takumi had to scratch his head. Then he got a brilliant idea. The siblings fried the beef covered in ground bread crumbs and a batter of mashed corn kernels. They seasoned the beef with a liberal peppering of pepper. The soldiers scarfed down the fare with moans of enjoyment. Savouring a crunchy bite of juicy beef, Yuuichi had to admit privately to himself that there may be more stock to their story than he had given them credit for.

The dinner broke the ice between the Veronians and foreigners. Jokes and banter flew across the camp-fire, only ended when Yuuichi and Zarn signed off sentries and watch assignments. Mai and her companions tumbled into their borrowed blankets, bone exhausted. Resting her head on her folded cloak, Mai looked up at the night sky and smiled. A violet star twinkled next to the twin green moons.

* * *

The night woke to the mournful melody of Solmor Forest. A siren song that called the nocturnal denizens forth from their deep dark earth homes underneath the waning glory of the setting moons. Soon the darkness was alive with the chittering of the creatures.

Out of the shifting shadows materialised a cloaked figure on a black war cyberhorse. Pale moonlight turned the soundless silhouette into a black armoured warrior who rode to the lip of the dell. Unruly short metallic red hair, the colour of frosted blood wine, gleamed faintly as the warrior removed her demon helmet and rested it on the pommel. She studied the Veronian encampment below with grey green eyes and waited. She stood statue still as another rider flowed forth from the shadows. This girl was bareheaded, had neck-length teal hair, and wore black leather armour. The knight did not make any move to acknowledge the girl except to cast a condescending smirk at her. The girl ignored her calmly, though her silver grey eyes tightened in annoyance, and leaned forward to also survey camp.

When the dying embers of the camp fires and sentry torches were the only illumination in the camp, the black knight raised a gauntlet fist. A gold glyph flared to life on the ground, squirming as it metamorphed into a snake-like form with a wide head and gaping razor teethed maws. It fixed its red eyes on its target and howled hungrily. One by one, more serpentine shadows rose out of the earth and slithered down the slope towards the slumbering Veronians. The black knight smiled a dark smile. There would be blood tonight.

* * *

A hyposyringe hissed savagely in the deathly quiet of the darkened bedroom. Natsuki tossed in her sleep, mumbling almost inaudibly as her body fought off a fever. Her pale skin glowed with a wet sheen in the timid moonlight filtering in from the window. Her bruised face scrunched up in a worried expression.

"I have to go. I have to get there before..."

Over and over, she repeated those words. A feverish chant that grew louder as the minutes ticked by. Kaiji adjusted the sweaty blankets around her, careful to preserve her modesty. He straightened up from his crouch with a bone-deep groan, knuckling his back absently as he put away the empty hyposyringe back into its black box, next to the eleven other empty vials. As he resealed the box, he realised that he did not hear Natsuki's muttering any more. Thank goodness, he thought, she's asleep. Maybe now he could get some sleep as well, he chuckled to himself as he settled into a stuffed ornate armchair next to the bed. Just a little nap, only for a few minutes...

"KYAAAA!"

Kaiji jumped out of his chair, even before his mind could shake off the last dregs of sleep, from that banshee shriek. He wondered in befuddlement what wounded animal had snuck into the house when he saw her. Natsuki was sitting up, arms wrapped around her chest, her blanket fallen about her bandaged waist, beet red in the face.

"Uhm... Lady Kuga, I can explain..." Kaiji started to say but Natsuki stopped him with a raised hand.

She closed her eyes and sucked in a shaky breath. "Thank you for saving me, Kaiji," she said softly as she drew up the blankets up to her chest and leaned back against the headrest tiredly. It took a few moments before her face returned to its winter complexion.

Kaiji resumed his seat and waited. It was not long before Natsuki spoke up, her solemn words filling the dark room with shadows.

"I was ambushed by Veronian cavalry on Solmor Road. I was hurrying or otherwise I would have stuck to the forest paths."

"What about the soldiers who chased you?"

Natsuki looked away, her expression ashamed, remorseful and angry all at once. She bit her quivering lower lip. It made her seem very young. Kaiji sighed. He got up and went to the bedside table which had a jug and mug on it. He busied himself pouring a mug of tea. "Well, I guess it's better that I don't know."

"He won't stop until I'm dead," she said so softly even the alchemist's sharp ears did not hear her even so close by.

Kaiji handed her the mug. "You must be thirsty. Here."

The young lady cradled the mug of sweet smelling tea gingerly in both hands. It smelt minty and she realised her throat was indeed desert dry. Small sips turned into gigantic gulps. Within seconds, her mug was empty. The pain of her wounds dulled to a manageable ache. She felt better than she had in days. Kaiji was watching her openly. She uneasily wondered what the sudden intense scrutiny was about. Uncomfortable, she lowered her gaze to the mug. The crockery began to feel heavy. Very, very heavy.

There was something she was supposed to do. Something...her thoughts began to twist and turn as elusive as fairie dust floating on the wind. A nagging memory gnawed her mind and then she remembered. Her eyes widened with shock. "The Queen! I have to warn the Queen!"

Kaiji easily restrained her, pinning her against the bed. Natsuki struggled for a few moments then gave up. Seeing her calm, the alchemist said: "You're in no shape to be gallivanting across the country. What do you have to warn the Queen about?"

"A traitor! There's a traitor in her midst. I have to warn the Queen about an assassination attempt," Natsuki desperately pleaded to no avail.

She wanted to push the alchemist out of her way but she couldn't move her arms. It was if her body was numb. She frowned down at the empty mug. It was absurdly heavy. Kaiji caught it as it fell out of her hands and placed it on the bedside table. His cheerful face was darkly sombre.

Natsuki tried to focus on Kaiji but found it ever-increasingly hard to keep her eyes open. She couldn't be this weak, could she? Wait, the mug!

"Kaiji! You! You, fox..." Natsuki tried to snarl, her voice fading away as the world went dark.

Kaiji caught the woman as she toppled sideways and laid her gently back on the bed. Her breathing slowed, deepening to one of oblivious sleep.

"I'm sorry, Lady Kuga. But I can't have you warning the Queen of our plans. Believe me when I say that I do this for your own good." He smoothed away the damp hair from her brow and smiled kindly. "Sleep and dream, my dear HiME."

* * *

It was the same dream again. A billowing red mist surrounded her. Mai stood naked, shivering in the embrace of the warm moisture. Dark burgundy beads clung to her skin like blood drops. It was the same. Everything the same. Mai looked up. Above her glowed a large crimson star in a pitch black sky. It seemed to pull her. Call to her. Mai slowly reached up to touch it.

Then it came. A distant sound of thunder. Followed by another peal and another and another. It resounded in the air, dissolving the mist with each ear-splitting blast. The night brimmed with anticipation. Something was supposed to happen. Mai felt it in her bones.

Mai walked towards the drumming thunder. No, not thunder. She felt certain of it. A heartbeat. A heartbeat that echoed the racing of her own. As she drew closer to the source, a mountain loomed up from the shadows. Wake up. I'm supposed to wake up now, Mai thought. She waited for a moment. The dream did not end.

Mai squinted at the mountain. A sparkle caught the red moonlight. What was that? She had never made it this far in the dream before. Curiosity propelled her forward until she was in the mountain's deep shadow. Craning her head back till her neck creaked, Mai saw a golden sword hilt jutting out from the rocky face.

Lightning flashed.

Mai screamed. For an instance, she saw a phantom creature within the mountain. A monstrous form that filled her with dread. The heartbeat was louder now, pulsing the air as a howling wind rose. A terrible roar from the depths of Hell split the night. The monster was waking...

A noise woke her. Mai blinked, the dream faded away to a groggy memory, trying to remember where she was as she wrestled her drumming heart to calmness. She concentrated on the sound and realised it was only the wind whipping through the trees. Her heart slowed as her fear slowly drained away.

The gourmet cook looked over to her left and smiled. Takumi and Mikoto were sleeping soundly. The young Noxterri girl was even gnawing on the edge of her blanket. Must be another one of her ramen dreams, Mai thought fondly. She closed her eyes but sleep evaded her so she got up and went to one of the sentries sitting on a log next to a dying fire. As she got closer and saw who it was, Mai thanked her luck.

"Trouble sleeping?" Zarn asked.

Mai nodded an affirmation as she took a seat next to the grizzled veteran. She looked up and searched for the violet star. Yes, it was there. A bright amethyst in darkness. Not crimson. Why was she thinking it should be crimson?

"What are you looking at?" Zarn asked companionably, his eyes scanning the constellations.

Mai shook her head and smiled. "Nothing." Only she and Mikoto could see this star.

Zarn nodded as if that made all the sense in the world.

"It must be tough. You travelling with your brother and...that girl...all this time. With the war, the world's not a safe place," Zarn said finally, breaking the relaxed silence.

Mai drew up a leg and hugged her knee to her as if she felt cold. "We're used to it. We only have had each other ever since we were very young," Mai replied in a neutral tone.

Zarn sensed the girl's barriers go up. He knew that he intruded onto something private. "I see...sorry."

Mai relaxed visibly and even managed a small grateful smile at him. Zarn smiled back and the mood warmed away the chill of dawning twilight.

"Who is this Lady Natsuki Kuga?" Mai asked abruptly.

Zarn stared at her, stupefied for a moment. Of all the questions she could ask... finally, he barked a laugh, startling the poor peasant girl.

"The House of Kuga was one of the five great houses in Veronia. They were reputed throughout the lands for their brilliant alchemists and technomasters. But as brilliant as they were, they were also ambitious and craved the Crown.

"They fell into ill repute when dark rumours sprouted three years into the War - of their involvement with the Noxterri lords. It is said that Lady Natsuki Kuga's mother helped to develop the war technology of Noxterra in exchange for the Crown of Veronia when Noxterri conquered Abyssa.

"Of course, the Crown and the peasantry did not take kindly to these rumours and rose up to wipe out the House of Kuga."

Zarn poked the blazing embers with a stick, sending up wrathful sparks. He remained silent for so long that Mai thought he had finished the story. A part of her wished that she had never asked.

"It was a long night of blood and fire. Natsuki was spared because she was training for knighthood at Tate's family keep, Raven Peak."

Mai frowned in dark thought. "Tate's keep? Lieutenant Yuuichi Tate's?"

Zarn nodded reluctantly and seemed to regret starting the tale.

"Lieutenant Tate and the Lady Kuga were betrothed since they were children. It was to be a marriage of convenience, to strengthen the bloodlines of both Houses. Looking back, it was a political ploy by the House of Kuga to be eligible to contest for the Crown."

Curious despite her reservations, Mai had to ask. "Why is that?"

"To be in line for the Crown, a House has to have a military background. Wizards of technology though they were, the House of Kuga did not have that. The House of Tate, on the other hand, has a strong military lineage that dates back generations."

Mai looked at the glowing embers. Their amber warmth seemed to be fading as dawn crept closer. Almost as if to herself, she said softly, "It must be terrible not to marry for love."

As quiet as her words were, Zarn heard her and he roared with laughter. "Oh, they loved each other! First, she took his heart and then his eye, the Lady Kuga did. Oh, what a woman!" the old veteran guffawed, losing himself in a golden memory.

They loved each other? Mai was stunned, remembering those fierce glittering green eyes that hated all life and then Yuuichi's cold words: "Natsuki Kuga. A traitor to the Crown. One that I shall see dead!" It seemed impossible that love could turn to such poison. Mai pondered it for a moment and knew she could never feel such hatred for anyone. A sudden thought occurred to her.

"How did Natsuki escape Raven Peak if there was a death warrant on her head?"

Zarn's amusement slid away as fast as oil on steel. "That would be a story for another time. A story, I think, I don't have any right to tell. Well, look at me jawin'! Now, you be a good girl and go back to sleep, you hear?"

Mai wondered why the man had avoided her question. Glancing at his stone-stern features and clamped jaws, she knew that she would not be able to pry out the truth. Staring up at that strange violet star in the sky, she asked herself again: why did she leave her home for this? She bade Zarn goodnight and trudged back to her blankets.

On the way there, one of the sentries saw her and waved. Her cooking had seduced the soldiers to her side. She started to wave back when a large shadow _slithered_ forth from treeline and pounced on the sentry. He went down with a strangled cry.

Suddenly, the night exploded in hellish howls and battle cries as shadows swarmed out from the darkness and attacked the sentries. Mai screamed as a huge snake-like creature raced towards her.

"For the glory of the Night Lord!" a commanding woman's voice cried out. "For Noxterra!"


	2. Crimson Oaths

**Mai-Hime: Genesis Odyssey**

_**Author's note: **I am truly, truly sorry for taking so long to write the second chapter. Inspiration was fleeting. Good thing Naolin poked me hard enough that I began to actually try to write it. _

_And special thanks to her for taking the time to beta the chapter. _

_Anyway, I hope this chapter lives up to expectations._

**Chapter 2: Crimson Oaths**

Wet, ripping sounds filled the night. The darkness panted with the staccato shrieks of the dying. Death befouled the air; a staining acrid odour that darkened the heart. Under the twilight sky, shadows writhed and took the form of tortured nightmares.

Mai whimpered, a low choking sound barely louder than a rustling leaf. To her despair, it carried. One of those dark nightmares stopped its feasting and reared its bloodied head. Two rows of crimson eyes burnished with the glow of hunger fixed on her.

Horror had her. She could not run, could not move, could do nothing at all, save pray. And pray she did, desperately.

Silence answered her prayers for salvation. The monster snapped its horned maws twice as if savouring the sweet scent of fear in the air. Suddenly, it howled, a lonesome eerie call that drew the others away from their gorging. Soft as whispers, the creatures flowed forth and merged into the monster. Its form churned like a storm-tossed sea as it morphed and grew.

Seconds later, the ripples smoothened out like silk. Transformation completed, the creature roared a blood-freezing challenge before lunging at the red-haired woman.

Wave after sinuous wave of black-and-blue mottled skin whipped towards her at a ground-devouring speed. Rolling oily swells of shiny flesh topped by a bony spike. Its twelve glowing crimson eyes danced like demonic will o' wisps in the dawning of day.

Mai screamed then. A hollow cry that summoned strength. She managed a step back then another. And another. But, by then it was too late. She was too slow and the creature was upon her. It howled its triumph as it reared up, a rising tide of death that rose to the treetops.

Slowly, her body moving jerkily like a broken marionette, she turned to run.

"MAI!"

Snapping jaws flashed downwards.

Someone tackled her from the side. The ground that she had been standing on a moment before erupted violently from the creature's strike. Earth and turfs of grass fountained upwards.

Mai and her rescuer hit the dew-laden grass hard enough to take away breath. Clods of torn earth rained down on them. As soon as she could draw a jagged breath, Mai opened her eyes. Dazedly, she stared into the face of the person who lay on top of her. Fear-bright violet eyes met her own. It was Takumi.

A hair-raising sound split the air. A low venomous angry hissing sound that froze blood. Quickly, without thinking, Mai pushed her brother off her and stood over him protectively. Glaring into those fiery eyes, she did not know how she could protect him.

The monster reared its head back, pools of black saliva dripping from its gaping maws as it prepared to strike again.

They were going to be eaten. Like those soldiers. No...no...she could not let that happen to her brother.

"Takumi, run. Please, run!" Mai commanded, forcing the words out past the tightness in her throat. "Run and don't look back."

She felt him stand up behind her. He was shaking but he reached out to grab her arm and tugged, demanding that she escape with him. If they both ran, she knew that they would be trampled then torn to pieces. Angrily, Mai shook off his grip.

The monster's body tensed. Its eyes swivelled back and forth from Takumi to her before finally fixing its murderous gaze on her.

A bubble of suspicion surfaced in her mind. Mai knew what she had to do. Before her brother could react, she pushed him to the side, spun on her heel and ran away from Takumi. The nightmare turned its head to track her. As she had suspected, the monster only wanted to devour her. Why? Why? Why? The question dogged her steps, whipped her to a faster speed. She had to lead the beast away from Takumi - only then could she afford to be eaten. Mai shook her head to dispel that despairing thought. She did not want to be eaten!

Heart-bursting, the redhead woman sprinted. She felt the ground rumble below her pounding feet as the creature finally gave chase. Gusts of foetid damp breath bathed her back as it caught up. Mai risked a glance over her shoulder. It was close. Too close. Yet, it did not make a move to eat her. The bastard beast was - the redhead realised belatedly - playing with her.

Suddenly, an upturned root snagged her foot. Caught by surprise, Mai fell to the ground with a wild yell. Winded, crippled by fear, the Hyugu girl could only turn over then gasp softly as her ankle exploded with pain. She must have twisted it. Damn, damn, damn it!

The monster lowered its head, grimacing as it smelt her again. Mai held herself very still as puffs of steamy breath buffeted her, saliva dripped on her, oozing down her body and matting her garments to her skin. After several moments, it stopped sniffing and howled. A long **_ooooo_** that etched fear deep within her bones. She raised an arm, a flimsy defence but defence still the same.

Its hellish cry of hunger was interrupted by a berserk battle cry.

A shadow flew over her prone form. It was Mikoto.

The Noxterri warrior twisted in mid air, evading the snapping razor-toothed jaws, and landed on the beast's bony-ridged snout. She fought to keep her balance as the monster tossed its head wildly to throw her off, only to find the feral girl was not so easily dislodged. Mikoto's heightened cat-like agility allowed her to ride the bucking beast with ease as she used her monstrous black sword as a counter-balance.

After several tense moments, Mikoto found her footing and swung her sword around in a wide arc. Its blade flashed golden in the ribboned sky of early morning. Using every ounce of strength, the Noxterri girl planted her sword in the monster's head, between its rows of burning eyes, shattering bone and biting deep within the cavity of skull. Mikoto twisted the sword savagely once, twice, thrice before extracting her blade. She flicked it with an absent graceful gesture to clean off the blood.

Spurts of green steaming blood geysered out from the hideous wound as the monster toppled. Mikoto leapt clear and landed easily. She stood still as silence, catching her breath, a night-black silhouette against the bronze glow of the rising sun as blood continued to storm down upon her. For an instant, she looked like a child lost in the winter rain.

It made Mai want to go and wrap her arms around her. Her body moved on her own and before she knew it, she was embracing Mikoto. The Noxterri returned the fierce hug, nuzzling her face in Mai's chest before looking up to grin gleefully at the Hyugu.

The innocent smile contrasted sharply against Mikoto's black blood mask. It frightened the redhead more than facing the monster moments before. She tightened her grip on the young girl. I won't let this war have you, Mikoto, Mai thought to herself. Her eyes tightened with determination. I swear it.

Suddenly, the corpse of the monster burst into ghostly jade flames. Engulfed in the translucent inferno, it took mere seconds for the body to wither away in sparkling emerald motes. Not one blade of grass where the monster had lain was not charred.

Tranquillity slowly descended upon them as the world began to wake up to a new day. Drifting along sleepy trails of wind were bird songs, chatter of Solmor's creatures and the rustle of leaves. However, the memory of the nightmarish night before lingered in their minds, keeping true peace at bay.

"Mai!"

The pair turned in surprise at that joyful cry and saw Takumi running towards them and into their embrace. The siblings hugged each other tightly, Takumi crying a bit in relief.

"Takumi, there, there," Mai soothed him, rubbing his back as he fought to control his tears.

After a few minutes, her brother's tears drained away and he was able to smile again. "I feared the worst when you ran off like that," he whispered softly to her. "You shouldn't have done it. If I didn't send Mikoto after you..." Suddenly, the brown-haired boy tore himself away from her arms.

"Send Mikoto after me?" Mai repeated incredulous. She looked at Mikoto who nodded solemnly.

Takumi folded his arms, averting his face as if ashamed or angry. Mai was not sure, she could not see his expression. "Mikoto did not want to leave me there alone even after I told her you were in danger." His tone vibrated with fury. "All the monsters were killed by then. I would have been fine!" He lifted his face to glare at the Noxterri girl. "I would have been fine," he said again quietly with steely conviction.

The black-haired girl glanced away, her gold eyes pained, clutching her sword as if to assure herself it was there. Mai knew that it had torn the girl apart to stay and protect Takumi. The redhead touched her arm gently to get her attention. Mikoto reluctantly turned to look at her, her gold eyes fearful.

"You were right to have wanted to stay," she told the girl softly. "It was what I would have wished for." She raised her voice so Takumi could hear her. "Thank you."

Her brother frowned darkly at her words then grudgingly nodded. Takumi hated that her sister valued his life above her own but arguing about it would have been pointless. Besides, they could not stay here while they were still in danger.

"Any survivors besides us?" Mai asked her brother after a moment of silence.

In response, Takumi shook his head regretfully.

What about Lieutenant Tate? Or, Zarn?" Mai then asked.

Takumi started to shake his head then stopped. He frowned then said: "I did not see any bodies that wore their uniforms. Perhaps they ran away during the fighting?"

Mai found that very hard to believe. The two Veronians had struck her as honourable men devoted to their country. It seemed inconceivable that they would have retreated while their soldiers were being butchered. Yet, this meant that they were free to travel to Castle Amethyst to meet Princess Windbloom.

* * *

After discussing their next plan of action, the group returned back to the decimated camp. In the bright light of morning, the scene of horror that greeted them would be forever etched in their minds. In silence, they gathered the remains of the soldiers and buried them in separate graves marked by their broken swords.

To their surprise, the cyberhorses had survived the devastation. Programmed to remain close to their riders, they would not have fled like their legendary blood-and-flesh counterparts. However, the battle had made them skittish and they trotted to the far end of the camp.

"War is bad, isn't it, Mai?" Mikoto asked suddenly the redhead as she looked at the marked graves. Takumi went to round up three cyberhorses.

"Yes, it is," Mai replied. She thought for a moment how to best explain it in a way the girl could understand. "It has no honour, no sense of justice nor justification."

The Noxterri girl looked surprised at those words then nodded thoughtfully. "Mai hates war, right?"

Mai nodded. "I despise it with all my heart."

As she said those words, a memory rose up. The cackle of flames, horrified screams mingled with the smell of burning wood, the clash of swords, the sight of the torn bodies of her parents. She shut her eyes quickly - but it was no use. The image burned brightly in her mind until it turned to ashes. It took several aching breaths to calm herself before she return the inquisitive gaze of Mikoto with a small smile.

Suddenly, Takumi screamed. A fearful, heart-wrenching cry that sent icy chills down Mai's spine.

Heart in her throat, Mai spun and gasped in shock at what she saw. Mikoto growled low like an enraged wolf as a teal-haired girl dragged Takumi forward, the bare blade of a dagger against his throat.

"Make a move and I will give him a bright red smile," the teal-haired girl called out to them. She smiled viciously when she saw that they followed her instruction, grey eyes gleaming with maniacal malevolence. Mai realised that the girl was wearing light Noxterri armour.

Mai had to restrain Mikoto, her tensed body quivered with white-hot rage. "What do you want?" she asked the warrior then added quickly, "We are not with these Veronians."

The girl threw back her head and laughed. "What do I want? What do I want?" She cackled again with dark amusement. Her voice dropped to icy depths. "I want to hear you scream."

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Survivors?" a voice called out suddenly from the shrouded tree line.

The owner of the voice was a black armoured warrior with unruly metallic red hair. She rode gracefully out of the tree line. It took Mai a moment to realise that she had a body thrown over the rump of her black cyberhorse. The Noxterri who held Takumi hostage glared with unrestrained hate at the warrior who merely met her eyes with a condescending smile.

"Where have you been, Summoner Nao?" the teal-haired girl asked in a tone bristling with rage.

The one called Nao smirked and raised a strangely gauntleted hand that seemed fused to her flesh. Where her fingernails should be were vermilion luminescent long razor edged claws. Claws that dripped - Mai realised in horror - with blood. After licking off the blood slowly from each claw, Nao reached behind her to slice the bonds that held the body in place.

With an exaggerated air of ceremony, she pushed the body off her cyberhorse. Her cyberhorse squealed as it tried to trample the body, only held back by its rider's horsemanship.

Mai saw in shock that it was Lieutenant Tate. She could barely recognise him from the blood that wept from the numerous gashes which decorated his face. His bare arms and torso were too criss-crossed with large gashes. A low moan emanated from his stiff lips. The Hyugu sighed inwardly with relief. He was still alive.

"I was interrogating this Lieutenant. Stubborn fool. Took me all night to get some truthful information," Nao replied gaily with a wave of her clawed hand.

"What sort of information?" the teal-haired girl asked.

The cyberhorse danced as if picking up on its rider's emotions. "Wouldn't you like to know, eh, Tomoe?" Nao answered with a gloating smile. "Now, what are you going to do with these survivors?"

Tomoe's eyes glittered dangerously. The dagger pressed harder against Takumi's neck, drawing blood, causing the boy to bite back a groan. She measured Nao's mood and decided it would be wise to answer her.

"They destroyed the creature you summoned. I wanted to see what special skills they possessed to allow them to do that. Just for some entertainment."

Nao blinked in languid surprise and took her first overt look at the survivors. She studied Mai and Mikoto silently, her verdant eyes lingering on the Noxterri's sword. The warrior spoke in a bored tone that expected no answer. "I'm surprised that you survived my Orphan. That is a feat not many on Abyssa could do. Who are you really, traitor?"

She smiled then. "No matter. You will soon be dead," the warrior continued on coldly, "Tomoe."

Tomoe glowered at the spoken command but pushed the boy towards Nao, who slipped down from her cyberhorse to grab him. The warrior held him tightly against her and lowered her head to lick his bleeding wound dry. "Stay still and be a good boy and I might keep you alive to play with later tonight," she whispered huskily in his ear. The boy shied as far away as he could from her touch, disgust twisting his features.

Mai wanted to rush to his side but she knew that she could do nothing. Mikoto, she had to rely on Mikoto.

The teal-haired Noxterri smiled at Mikoto and drew her sword. Mikoto raised hers in challenge.

"Let's see what you got, traitor."

* * *

Mikoto growled and flung herself at the one called Tomoe. The girl's beautiful features were contorted into a savage mask. She had to defeat her and the other one to save Takumi. Her grip tightened painfully on Miroku's hilt. She could not lose!

Their blades met and met again in a fast deadly dance that covered the camp site. Mikoto frowned as her enemy tried to decapitate her. The girl was almost as fast as her. That was impossible! Mikoto whirled around and dipped to avoid the blow, coming up with her own counter attack that was blocked.

Nao watched the duel with growing disinterest. It looked like that fool Tomoe could not even handle an untrained Noxterri child. She wondered how those wild swings could have defeated her Orphan. Feeling vines of boredom ensnare her, the Summoner decided to give her compatriot a much-needed advantage. Flexing the claws on her free hand, she softly caressed Takumi's arm, fingers flowing over the rough linen fabric. "Now, scream for me, boy," she said to him, taking an earlobe to suckle softly.

Takumi had a moment to look shocked before Nao raked deep furrows on his arm, shredding skin and clothes alike with silky ease. The scream ripped from his throat before he could stop it.

As Nao had suspected, it distracted the untrained Noxterri. In the midst of an attack, she faltered for an instant, allowing Tomoe to swoop in with an upwards thrust that caught the agile girl through the shoulder. Tomoe twisted her blade as she withdrew it causing Mikoto to cry out in agony. The girl staggered then toppled to her knees, using her sword to prop herself upright. With a vicious kick, Tomoe sent the sword flying out of Mikoto's hands.

"MIKOTO!" Mai and Takumi cried out.

Intoxicated by her sure victory, the teal-haired Noxterri took her time ending the life of the traitor. Reversing her grip on the hilt, she lowered her sword, ready to take off the girl's head. She wondered how far it would bounce when it hit the ground.

"I...I have to protect Takumi!" Mikoto gasped as she stretched out her hand towards her sword. "MIROKU!"

Gasps of astonishment came from everyone when the sword quivered then flew to her waiting hand. Before Tomoe could blink, Mikoto swung the sword, disarming her. Tomoe leapt backwards before the Noxterri could run her through.

The blade glowed with a shimmering crimson aura. Red eye sigils flared to life appeared along the length of her blade as Mikoto twirled in a circle, the blade ripping through the ground. As she finished one cycle, she reversed her grip, held the blade high over her head and sheathed Miroku into the ground. The ground erupted in bony spikes as Mikoto's eyes shone gold.

Tomoe had to jump back to avoid being impaled.

"You, you, you worm, do you think you can best me?" the teal-haired warrior seethed, her voice a molten mixture of surprise, anger and fear. She curled her hair behind her left ear, revealing a black-studded earring. "MATERIALISE!"

A black shimmering aura flared up around her as a nude silhouette of her sprang forward. Armour formed on her silhouette before it arched back into her body. When the black aura faded away, Tomoe wore black and red armour that covered her chest, shoulders, wrists, waist and ankles. She held in each hand a red leathered wrapped, black steel lujiaodao.

Sunlight glinted off the crossing crescent blades as Tomoe twirled the blades with graceful ease, the lujiaodao's four claws a black lethal whirlwind.

Mikoto watched the lujiaodao spin. The twin-crescent weapon had another name, her grandfather had told her, Deer Horn Knives, the preferred choice of Noxterri melee specialists. It required a very confident and agile - or utterly insane - wielder because it was a close-quarters combat weapon. Against the medium to long range of a sword, it required supreme dexterity to glide in to attack vital areas and survive.

Suddenly, Tomoe stopped and assumed a neutral stance that could flow from defensive to offensive in a heartbeat. The black-haired Noxterri studied her foe as her body trembled with pain. Her shoulder was a raging fire while the rest of her frosted over. She was not sure how long she could keep those hungry blades from her throat, face or arms. Gathering the last ounce of strength she had, Mikoto raised her blade, prepared for battle.

Tomoe saw the black blade dip as the girl's strength wavered. Shock and blood loss would be plaguing the young Noxterri. She felt a twisted smile curve her lips. They were even now. No, she was stronger and faster now. By the Night Lord, she would win!

"By the time I am through with you, traitor, you will wish that you were never born," the teal-haired warrior declared as she gathered herself then stopped. Why was that wretch smiling?

Mikoto felt at peace, reflected on her face by a serene smile. She wondered if her grandfather was watching her with pride. She was going to die a glorious warrior's death.

* * *

"MATERIALISE!"

"Fool! It's too early for that!" Nao growled to herself. Unconsciously, she loosened her grip on the boy. Takumi grasped the opportunity and broke free, running towards his sister.

"TAKUMI!" Mai screamed as she caught him and together they fled towards the forest.

Nao watched their forms disappear into the tree line as she considered trapping them with her web. As she lost sight of them, she smiled. It would be more fun to snare them later. Her cyberhorse stomped the ground as it picked up on her flaring excitement. She patted it absently to soothe it down as she glanced down at the unconscious Veronian at her feet.

Nao was unaware of the coldness that seeped into her eyes as she stared at the Lieutenant. She had spent a better part of the night inflicting the worst pain possible, only to be denied a scream. But, in the end, he did scream. Oh yes, he screamed. Each agonised cry was sweeter than golden nectar.

The red-haired Noxterri licked her lips. There was a faint flavour of copper on them. She ached to savour the acrid taste of warm blood again. Which reminded her...

300, 301, 302, 303... Nao silently counted the seconds which had passed since the two peasants had made their bid for escape. She wondered how far they had gotten by now. Not very far, she reckoned, since the girl was lame, favouring her ankle as she ran. It would be easy to follow the trail of blood left by the boy's wound. Oh well, she would wait another count of hundred.

She looked down at her mortal foe. Veronian scum, she thought and kicked him in the side, hard enough to crack a rib, just for the principle of it. She halted her foot from striking again and controlled herself. Several deep breaths later, the killing urge left her.

Nao heard Tomoe cry out in pain. She turned her attention to the battle and cursed. Even with critically wounding her opponent and using augmentation technology, the teal-haired girl still had trouble taking the traitor's head. The traitor was agile but her strength was ebbing. It was only a matter of time.

397, 398, 399, 400...

The warrior mounted her cyberhorse, casting one last disgusted glance at the battle before kicking her mount to a gallop. Well, after she had killed the two peasants she would return and finish off the traitor. If Tomoe died, she would leave her body for scavengers. After all, only the strong deserved to rule.

* * *

Natsuki awoke with a strangled cry. Memories of the other day flooded her clouded mind. Kaiji, Kaiji had betrayed her. That lying old fox! The thought was as bitter as the sleeping agent she could now vividly taste on the tip of her tongue. 

After a few moments, the raven-haired knight's racing heart slowed and she could take cold-reasoned stock of her situation.

She found herself restrained on the bed. Steel manacles bound her wrists to the slated headrest. Her cramped shoulders cried out for respite. She saw that her wrists were chaffed raw and bloodied. It seemed that even in her induced slumber, she had struggled to free herself. To her relief, she discovered herself fully clothed. The relief turned to muted horror when she realised she was wearing black Noxterri leather armour.

Yet even that stunning realisation faded away to be replaced by another.

Suddenly, she was aware of the absence of pain. Her belly wound before was eternal agony yet now not even an ache remained. Frowning in disconcertion, she twisted as much as her bounds would allow to see if she had any gashes. Only a weakness hounded her as if she had recently recovered from a fever. Wait, there was a slight pinching pain in her left earlobe. She could feel it weighted down. She shook her head slightly, feeling the weight shift. An earring? she wondered to herself.

She glanced around the bedroom, surprised to find herself alone. Then mentally slapped herself for her stupidity. She was chained, where could she run to?

Listening keenly, the raven-haired knight could hear the sounds of someone puttering around outside the oak door. Those slow, heavy steps could only belong to one person. Eyes widening, Natsuki hurriedly closed them and feigned sleep.

The door moaned open.

"You should be awake by now, Lady Kuga. Come, come. I'm an alchemist, remember? I know when the effects of the drug should have worn off."

That voice belonged to Kaiji. The familiar rumbling timbre was poison to her ears.

She heard him heave an exasperated sigh when she continued her pretence. The footsteps came closer and stopped by the bed. "I bring food. I know you're hungry."

At the very mention of food, her stomach betrayed her with a kittenish growl. Natsuki kept her eyes closed despite Kaiji's amused chuckle. "See?" he said patronisingly.

Angrily, the raven-haired knight opened her eyes, glowering at her captor. He ignored her daggerish emerald glare and set down a wooden platter that held a bowl of soup and slice of bread on the side table. Then he took a seat on the stool beside the bed, his ponderous weight making the wood groan loudly.

The aromas wafting from the soup were...enticing. Peppered beef stew. Her belly mewled again. She told it that the stew was most likely poisoned. It ignored her logic and whined.

Putting her hunger woes to the back of her mind, Natsuki wondered how long that she had been asleep.

As if reading her thoughts, Kaiji answered: "You slept the night through, Lady Kuga. It is early morning now."

There was something in his tone. An elusive emotion she could not pin down. The woman glanced at the former Chief Alchemist's face and saw worry. Was he acting? she thought to herself.

"Why..." she could not speak, her throat barren. She coughed wretchedly before harshly continuing. "Why, Kaiji?"

"You were in no shape to save the Queen," he replied calmly in the face of her furious accusation. He continued on as if it was one of his lectures: "When is the assassination attempt?"

Natsuki frowned, dredging up the memory. She chose to lie. "I...I don't know exactly. All I know is that it is to be soon."

"That's all you know?" he probed gently.

The raven-haired knight drew a short breath before reluctantly answering. "Yes."

"Then, you would risk beheading for that scant amount of information? Lady Kuga, you are smarter than that."

Natsuki studied Kaiji's face and saw underneath the concern was relief. Anger overwhelmed her, she fought it, tried to remain calm, tried not to give away that she knew the truth. She lost.

"LIAR!"

The Chief Alchemist jumped in shock at her accusation and burning eyes, knocking back the stool and banging into the side table. The table tottered, sending the platter, bowl and bread onto the floor. 

"Why am I tied up? Why are you helping the Noxterri? Why are you betraying the Crown?" she raged on. Why did you betray me? she asked silently. "Was it the promise of gold? Was it for power? Tell me, Kaiji, tell me!"

Silence met her questions. It did not surprise her. Drained, Natsuki fell back onto the bed and watched Kaiji bend over to pick up the broken crockery and ruined food. He set them on the side table then righted the stool. Only after he retook his seat did he deign to answer her.

"The perfect world."

Natsuki stared in shock as the former Chief Alchemist's countenance underwent a drastic transformation. It changed to one of fevered reverence. "The Noxterri have it in their power to create the perfect world. A peaceful, happy world where there are no more wars, no more illness, no more despair. For this Golden Millennium, I would sacrifice everything and anything." His expression became stern and cold. "Even my prized student, Lady Kuga. Remember that." 

The raven-haired met his challenging stare. It was Kaiji who looked away. The former alchemist got up and went to the door. He opened it and stopped when Natsuki spoke. Her words dripping with hostility.

"I feel...strange...what did you do to me?" Natsuki asked venomously.

Kaiji looked back and smiled, a sad smile. The chill in his words could have frozen over a lake. "Something which I shouldn't have done. Except that I did not want you to die last night." While those cold words hung in the air, he left. 

Leaving the raven-haired girl with a dark realisation. The way he had stressed those last words told Natsuki that she was living on borrowed time.

Natsuki tugged furiously against her bonds, ignoring the pain that gnawed at her wrists, panting with the exertion as she twisted and turned. She gave up after several moments. The steel was too strong.

She sighed. It seemed that she did not have a choice. The assassination was in a few days. She eyed the shut door and listened. She heard Kaiji move away, his footsteps fading into whispers. She waited a minute or more.

"Forgive me, my Queen," she whispered to the air. Then closed her eyes and concentrated. Into the silence, she breathed the one word needed for her salvation.

"Duran."

* * *

The former Chief alchemist closed the door with a wooden sigh. It seemed that Lady Kuga knew too much. It was a shame really because she had been his brightest pupil. A bolt of shock flashed right through him. 'Had been' - he had used the past tense without even realising it.

Kaiji approached the group of ten men dressed as Veronian Calvary who were waiting for him in the kitchen. They were busy wolfing down bowls of hot stew and did not look up at his step. The captain stood up at his entrance. His scarred face betrayed no emotion.

"Shall we proceed as planned, Sakomizu?" the captain asked respectfully.

"Yes. Enter Castle Amethyst, kill the Queen and pin her murder on Lady Kuga," Kaiji ordered.

The captain nodded and motioned for his men to get up. They did so without hesitation and flowed out of the room, silent as ghosts in a graveyard. The captain then moved to follow them but stopped at the door. "Should we kill Lady Kuga now or at the castle?"

Kaiji considered for a moment. "It would be easier to transport a corpse than a person."

The captain nodded again and left. Outside the kitchen, he signalled one of his men who drew out his sword then approached the bedroom door.

"Wait, Captain."

The Captain halted the soldier's entrance with a gesture. Kaiji indicated a table where a beautiful sword lay. "Kill the Queen with this," the former chief alchemist said as he handed the captain the sword. The captain admired the craftsmanship on the wolf head pommel.

Suddenly, an eerie wraith-like howl sounded.

"What was that?" the captain asked as he signalled all his men forward.

They armed themselves and formed a line of defence in front of the door. The one who stood in front of it, curled his fingers around the door jamb.

Before he could turn it, the door exploded into pieces. Wooden shards wreaked devastation among the soldiers as a shadowed form leapt out of the ruined doorway and attacked the armed men.

Kaiji stumbled backwards, keeping out of the furious fray. He could not believe his eyes. It was Duran. The large mechanical wolf tore out throats with savage ease and nimbly dodged attacks. Within moments, the floor ran red. Duran had been summoned, Kaiji thought wildly with fear. That meant...

An angel of death emerged from the damaged doorway. In her hands, she carried the ancient weapons from a bygone era called pistols. Kaiji stared into the depthless rage of those emerald eyes. They promised his execution.

The former chief alchemist turned around and started to run. He heard a sound like a hiss. Suddenly, a freezing, burning pain ignited in his thigh, causing him to fall. He screamed in agony, clutching the weeping wound. Curled up in a ball, Kaiji saw her approach out of the corner of his eye. There was no longer any emotion in her eyes. 

As she passed the crumpled body of the captain, she knelt - careful to keep out of the pooling puddle of blood - to pick up the legendary sword of the Kuga family. Nonchalantly, she belted the scabbard around her waist before turning her attention to Kaiji.

She knelt by his writhing form, ostensibly out of his thrashing reach. Her beautiful features were winter cold as if carved from marble.

"Kaiji," she said softly. "I was thinking. And there is one thought which I can't shake. You said that you would do everything and anything for this Golden Millennium. Even...spread rumours of the House of Kuga aiding the Noxterri?"

Duran came up next to her and growled menacingly. His ruby eyes merciless as the night. Crimson glistened wetly around his muzzle. Should he answer or shouldn't he? Oh hell, he was dead anyway. Kaiji grinned, his eyes burning with a maniacal light.

"For the Golden Millennium, I would do everything and anything," he gritted out with a twisted smile.

Pain flashed briefly in Natsuki's eyes before being replaced by a glimmer of regret. "I see," she said softly. The raven-haired knight stood up. One of her pistols dematerialised. The other one she aimed at Kaiji. "This is for my mother."

She fired a shot into his other thigh, ripping an ear-splitting shriek of agony from him. Without another word, she walked away."Natsuki," Kaiji screamed as he crawled after her. "Natsuki, I had always loved you as a daughter. Don't leave me like this. NAT-SU-KI!"

The last survivor of the House of Kuga said nothing nor did she look back as she walked out of the cottage. Duran followed on her heels like a shadow. Her weapon winking out of sight was the last vision Kaiji had of her.

"NATSUKI!"

* * *

She could still hear his shrieks for mercy as she strode towards her waiting cyberhorse who stood statue-still under the gnarled giant oak tree. Placing a hand on its side, she turned to look at the cottage. It was then that she noticed an idle hover caravan in front of the home. It must have been the transport for the soldiers. Duran sat down beside her to watch the building.

"Duran," Natsuki whispered.

The wolf turned its head to look at her then stood up.

Natsuki drew a deep breath as the assault of memories began. She as a young girl sitting on a stool, staring in wonder at the racks of glass test tubes filled with colourful liquids. She as a young girl watching her mother laughing with Kaiji as he extolled the virtues of some rare herb over dinner. She as a young girl walking in the snow, hand-in-hand with him as he went on one of his herb gathering adventures. She as a woman near death collapsing in his arms after riding for days to escape the Veronian bounty hunters.

The memories whirled in her mind's eye, a hurricane that made her want to scream and keep on screaming. One by one, she ripped up the memories and buried the emotions until nothing remained.

"Load the chrome cartridge."

She could not believe how easily the words spilled forth from her lips. A part of her heart died at that.

"Fire."

A bloom of fire shot out from the mouths of wolf's twin cannons as two chrome bullets flew and struck the cottage with devastating force, exploding on contact. Ravenous golden flames erupted upwards, eagerly eating away at the cottage's wooden structure. She thought, if she listened hard enough, she could hear Kaiji's agonised screams underneath the blazing crackles.

Red and gold embers fluttered down around her like Hell snow as she mounted her cyberhorse. She took one last look at the cottage as it started to crumble in its death throes. The moaning keel as the cottage finally collapsed onto itself was a fitting anthem for the daughter of death.

The raven-haired knight turned her mount towards the main road and heeled it to a gallop. She did not have the luxury of time any more. She urged her steed to greater punishing speeds. Duran fell in at her side, his bounding leaps easily keeping pace. She would never trust again. Never ever again.

* * *

There seemed to be no end to the forest. Or, roots to trip them. Or, branches to whip them as they ran by. The forest had become a silent sentinel. Not a sound whispered along the winds except their wild flight.

The Hyugu siblings stumbled through the dense undergrowth, exhaustion sapping their strength with every step. It seemed that they had been running for hours but Mai knew that it barely even a quarter of an hour. Pain blazed in her chest, the hot fire burning the air in her lungs with every breath. Her ankle trembled violently, a broiling molten lake. She could not keep this up much longer.

Mai glanced at her brother, her features scrunched in worry. Takumi was panting, clutching his chest, gamely trying to keep up as she pulled him along. He was in worse shape than she was. She could only imagine his suffering.

At that thought, she stopped and listened intently. The forest was silent. There was no sound of pursuit – yet.

"Let's stop," she panted breathlessly at Takumi's confused look. "Let's stop for a minute and rest."

Her brother didn't have the energy to argue. He only doubled over, gasping as he tried to draw breath. The constricting tightness in his chest worried him. He could feel it like a predator in the night. If they continued on like this, he would get an attack. And his pillbox was in his travelling bag at camp.

If worst comes to worst, he thought, I'll ask Mai to leave me behind. But he knew that she would never leave him behind. The thought of being left to the sadistic devices of that red-haired Noxterri shrivelled his soul. Takumi looked up and saw Mai watching him with shadowed eyes.

"Mai -," he began.

But Mai cut him off with a cheerful smile. "Feeling better? Well, then, let's go!" she said as she took his hand and started to run. Takumi had no choice but to follow.

Many minutes later they reached the far side of the dell. A few steps more and they would reach the side of the slope and ascend into relative safety. Suddenly, Mai tripped, dragging Takumi down with her. They glanced at her ankle, surprised to see a wire wrapped tightly around it. Blood flowed freely from the wound, dripping down her boot.

"Oh, give me a break already," Mai groaned in vexation to herself.

A whinnied sounded followed by the clomping stomps of a cyberhorse. The siblings saw the familiar figure of the red-haired Noxterri warrior atop the black mount.

"Found you," Nao declared gaily with a sinister smile. Mai saw with horror that the wire came from one of the claws on the warrior's fingers. The Noxterri flicked that finger, causing the wire to tighten, drawing a sharp intake of breath from the Hyugu.

Takumi hurriedly unsheathed Mai's belt knife and sawed the wire off. As soon as she was free, the two siblings scrambled to their feet. Takumi moved to shield Mai from the Noxterri, holding the knife at the ready.

Nao laughed in dark amusement. "Still got some fire in you? Good. Let's play awhile," she said. Her green eyes glowed with nefarious pleasure. "Julia."

Out the shadows materialised a robotic spider-woman hybrid with scorpion tail. The creature moved forward with fey-like grace. It ignored Takumi and focused on Mai. Suddenly, it shot a stream of web at them. Mai saw the oncoming stream and instinctively grabbed Takumi and lunged to the side.

Before they could scramble to their feet, the creature shot another stream at them. Mai raised her arms to defend herself. An electricity shot through her, making her heart beat faster and faster until it thundered in her chest. Her blood burned as if on fire. A wreath of flame flared into existence in front of her arms.

The first wave of web hit the flames and incinerated. Moving without thought, Mai pushed her hands forward, palms facing outwards, as if pushing the oncoming stream away. A fiery shield appeared and absorbed the stream. Her shield faded away to be replaced by three circling flaming magatamas. "What the hell is this?" Mai yelped.

"Oh, a HiME?" Nao said to herself, lips twisting into an exhilarated smile. "How interesting. Julia, attack!"

Her Child charged forward. Dagger arms glinting in the sunlight as it sought to slice the girl in half. Mai pushed Takumi out of the way and leapt to the opposite side. The Child followed her and struck her fire barrier again and again. Each strike driving Mai a step back – suddenly she lost her footing and Julia hit her, sending her crashing through the air.

Mai hit a weathered obelisk and collapsed bonelessly to the ground. She came to moments later, blood streaming from a wicked gash on her forehead. Blinking the blood from her eyes, she saw the rock had strange sigils etched on it. Strangely, there was a gold hilt protruding from the rock face.

"Julia, finish her!"

Taking advantage of her attention on the fight, Takumi tried to attack Nao. She laughed, blocking his wild blow, sending the knife flying with ease. Then she swiped him, drawing blood across the chest. Takumi went down with a pained cry. Mai stared at his motionless form.

Takumi, Takumi, Takumi, no Takumi! NOOO!

She pressed herself up against the rough stone, using it as a prop to help herself stand. Her hand grazed one of the sigils that marked its surface. At the contact, her heart stopped for a moment. Then it started, sending pulse after pulse of electricity through her body. In her mind, she felt the echo of a colossal heartbeat matching the rhythm of her racing heart.

_**What do you wish for?**_

For Takumi, I would sacrifice everything and anything. Everything and anything, even my own life, I swear.

_**The pact is sealed. **_

She felt those words brand across her heart.

_**Pull out the sword. **_

The voice whispered from the shadows of her soul.

She grasped the gold hilt.

_**Call to him. Call to your Child.**_

An ancient name came to her from the darkness of her soul. Her lips moved on their own. Despair gave her voice.

"Kagutsuchi!"

She screamed the name as she pulled the sword free. A red pulse of power from the earth welled up. And another and another. Suddenly, a circle of fire roared forth from the ground, surrounding her in a raging inferno but she did not burn. A pillar of fire erupted towards the sky.

The pillar of flames parted and swept back, fiery wings of a creature from legend. A mechanical dragon phoenix. Kagutsuchi opened its fearsome jaws, steam billowing out in great gusts, revealing deadly fangs.

A hellish howl shook the morning.

* * *

Nao stared at the monster Child that had been summoned. "What the hell is that?" she muttered to herself. Whatever it was, it was clear that she was outmatched. Only fools and the brave died young.

"Julia," she called to her Child as she ran to her mount. The Child shot out a stream of web and disappeared into the forest.

Nao swung up onto her cyberhorse and spurred it to a gallop. Heat, hotter than a hundred suns scorched her back. She looked over her shoulder. A monstrous fireball flew towards her.

The world was annihilated in fire.

* * *

Mikoto walked on the field of ash. Her feet making little sound on the smooth, grey powder. The cyberhorses plodded docilely behind her as she led them, reins wrapped around one fist. The Veronian captain was slung over the back of one of the mounts.

She stared in wonder at Mai and Takumi, who were unconscious and lay side-by-side. Then she looked around at the devastation.

"So, Mai is a HiME too," she whispered to herself.

* * *

The lake mirrored the afternoon sky. Ripples scurried across its glassy surface as a light breeze blew. Then the reflection broke into shards as a hand dipped into the icy waters. Kneeling by the grassy lake bank, Nao drank from a cupped hand. Then dipped it again to wash the soot from her face and neck. Damned monstrous Child, she thought to herself.

With a practised flick, Nao dispersed the red rivulets that dripped from her long, sharp claws. She licked the back of her hand, savouring the salty taste of her sweat, purring slightly. A dry snap of a branch snapped her to attention. Her eyes narrowed.

"It is very troublesome for us when you decide to move on your own, Summoner Nao Yuuki."

She turned, stood up as she folded her arms. A sardonic smirk cast at the man striding out of the shadows.

"All that sneaking around like thieves made me bored. Got a problem with that, o' Battlelord?" Nao replied in a darkly playful voice.

Zarn stepped out of the shadows, his face full of rage. "Now, the Veronians will suspect Noxterri infiltration into their lands. Their borders would be impenetrable. You have undone months of planning!"

"Quit your bitching. You sound like some milk-sucking Veronian. Don't worry about the defences. I ripped out all the border defence secrets from our dear Lieutenant," Nao snarled, her features savage and bestial.

Zarn glowered at her, his fury increasing. "When the Night Lord hears of this..." he growled.

With a silent command, Nao's claws extended to vicious lengths. "Are you threatening me? You seem to forget who it is you're speaking to, **_Zarnak_**." Nao warned, her voice low and dangerous. "One more word and I'll rip your tongue out."

Zarn advanced forward, his hand grasping his sword hilt tightly as he measured the distance between them. Nao grinned a dark challenge, her fingers flexing in anticipation.

"Stop it, you two!"

Nao and Zarn broke their stare-off to incinerate the girl stepping forth from the shadows. Tomoe glared at them both but her voice was calm. "What is done is done. We have no choice but to move forward."

"So says the wretch who revealed our new augmentation technology. Yes, let's move on and forget about that, shall we?" Nao taunted, her voice ugly. She turned to glare at the teal-haired girl, distracted for a moment from her impending duel with Zarn.

The respite had the effect Tomoe desired. Zarn's blood had cooled down. He realised that the Otome had just saved his life. He bowed his head in contrition. "Forgive me, Summoner Yuuki. I forgot myself."

Nao smiled condescendingly and waved off the apology. She had discovered two HiMEs in one day. The dawn of the Age of Eternal Night would be coming soon. Very soon. As soon as all the twelve were gathered.


End file.
